JazzyJude

Interesting...after both of my fills, I was to go on full liquids (the creamy soup stage) for 3 days and then go on solids. Both Dr So and Dr Acosta say this. In fact, my 2nd fill, I was on full liquids for 5 days, as I couldn't eat just yet. When going for your fill, check with the dr for clear instructions for YOUR fill ~ don't compare with others of what you heard, etc. You don't want to risk your band too soon after just getting your fill. You need to give the band a chance to adjust to the tightness again. After each of my fill, I hung around the clinic for 30 minutes after the fill (suggested by the docs) and drank the little bottle of water. I sat while drinking and walked while drinking to see 'how I felt'. If I felt tight, I am there and would get an unfill. But like Karen already said, the docs are good and they use fluoro, so they can see how tight our fill would be.

DITTO! I do the exact same thing. Right after my fill, I do protein shakes (from AmazeRX.com) and creamy soups...then progress to solid foods, starting with the softer foods. When I do hard core exercises first thing in the morning, I take a protein shake right afterwards and drink water. If I get way too busy with my job, I would do a protein shake to get the proteins in. Best to you babe!

AWESOME Carrie! You are doing a fantastic job working with your band. It's amazing, isn't it? Just keep on following the band rules and you will be just fine. I can't wait to see your pictures and see your journey thus far! You SHOULD be proud of yourself, as it is YOU who did all this work and no one else. Being diligent and determine makes success for you! ((BEAR HUGS TO YOU BABE!))...Jazzy

Hi Jennifer...I didn't have a problem with it as it was flaky for me and the texture was completely different that didn't gum or doughy up. I can't do breads, flour tortillas, buns, anymore as it has a tendency to make my chest constrict with tightness. I can do corn torillas, toasted breads, croutons, crackers, and corn breads, even after chewing them, it doesn't get gummy or doughy. Hope this helps...

:lb9: WELCOME, WELCOME! You are going to rock now! Like everyone says, take it easy and don't rush! You've got this far, and TRUST us when we say to take the time to heal and relearn the basic of things. You are going for an amazing ride right now. Like Mona says, sip, sip, sip and WALK, WALK, WALK. This will help your band and your body to adjust and your swelling/bloating. Continue with the Gas X strips, 2 at a time, even though you may not feel you have gas...it's there, just hiding in your joints area. This is natural from the surgery gas, C20. Don't sit for prolong periods, as gas likes to lurk around the joints area and cause a stir! Take several mini walks, not long ones. Make sure you continue with the Benefiber powder to help with the 'roto rooter' plumbing. If you are consistent with using the Metamucil capsules or the Fiber Choice chewables at 10am and 3pm, you won't have any hunger pangs. Then, start your dialy journal. This helps you keep yourself in line and track your success. I write down what I eat (when I start on solids, I add the calories and protein grams for each item), mark off my water intake, my small reachable goals and when I reached them, I rewrite a new goal, my exercises for the day and then my feelings for the day. It may seem like a lot, but once you get started, it's a piece of cake to continue. You would be surprised at how you do. On a good day, you can put a 'star' on the top right hand corner of the page and you can refer to this page as a future reference. Good luck and keep us posted on your journey. Let the weight loss begin! You are in for an adventure!

Judi ~ enjoy these! Another tip is when doing this recipe, to make a few variation at the same time, instead of all with just bacon or chicken or whatever. I make the basic egg mixture and then I would divide it and add bacon to one batch, sausages in one and then a chicken in another. I've even tried the tuna! This way I can have a choice! Let me know how you like it!!!

LOL, thanks...oh I try to meet with banster's approval of food! Trust me, I've tried all the recipes first before posting them. I don't cut the recipe to the 'bandster size', as some would like to make for the whole family. This recipe I really like, as it is sooooo easy to make and a quick way to get in my breakfast in a hurry and added proteins. What, you don't cook? Lucky you! LOL Come on...you can do it and the recipes posted are just wonderful and a good change. Who knows, it may just be the recipe to 'kick' up someone's weight loss!

Oh, I hear you on the capsules! The trick to taking capsules, where banded or not, is to first take a small drink to wet your throat otherwise, the plastic coating of the capsules would just 'stick' to your slightly wet throat wall. Then take the capsules and then continue to drink to ensure the capsule have past your esophagus area. Hope this helps...

Breakfast Quiches to Go Makes 16 regular muffin cups (see Chef's tips below) Ingredients 2 (8 oz) cans refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls (I've used Pillsbury) 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened 3 eggs 1 small onion, chopped 1 (9 oz) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain all liquids 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese Directions 1. Heat oven to 350. Spray 16 muffin cups with cooking spray (I use PAM). 2. Separate each can of crescent dough into 8 triangles. Press 1 triangle (wide end first) on bottom and up side of each muffin cup. 3. In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in onion, spinach, salt and pepper until well mixed. Fold in cheese. Fill each cup to the top with egg mixture ~ DO NOT OVERFILL. 4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean and edges of rolls are golden brown. Remove from pan. Serve warm. Nutritional Info: (for 1 regular size muffin cup) Calories 197, Fat 13g, Carbs 12.7g, Fiber 0.2g, Protein 6.3g Chef tip #1: If you have those mini muffin (tea cake) pans, cut the recipe in half and divide each triangle into 2 and lined the cups. Chef tip #2: Use your imagination to whatever filling you want. Want more proteins? I've used bacon, ham, chicken, turkey, different kind of cheeses (I've used 3 different kind at once), etc. Chef tip #3: These freeze wonderful! Let the quiche cool down completely. Put in ziplock or an airtight container and freeze. "Grab" a couple and by the time you get to work, it's already thawed, and put it in the zapper and zap it for a few minutes and VIOLA! Breakfast is served! Enjoy!

Beyond 1500 for me...

I am doing the same as what lock27 is doing. At first I was eating between 1000 to 1200 a day, then when I started exercising hard core I jumped it up to 1500 max. I do a high calorie day, one day a week, or one day don't eat what I planned and eat something else to "trick" my body. I noticed when I up my calorie intake with proteins and increase my exercises, the more I lose.. Hope this helps...

DUAL-ACTION CLEANSE (as seen on TV infomercial) Well, goodness gracious, I really didn't think this would work for some reason...like a few other TV 'miracles', etc. But I saw it at WalMart and just then decided to do it. What I like the best is that it is an "all pill" program and nothing to drink. I have a problem with smell and taste of the unknown drinks and I, myself, couldn't try some of the programs that were posted on this thread. It's a 30 program like many others and you take 2 pills in the morning and 2 pills in the afternoon and that is it. If you read the MANY natural ingredients, you would understand the smell, which is not bad at all. To me, I just wanted to take them for I knew it was good for me. You take them with food, or like what I did, after my meal. So, far it's my 4th day and I am telling you, I go twice a day and it feels great to have back my BM daily! I don't have the runs, nor constipation...just a normal amount of BM. I have noticed a difference in color (which I am sure is the toxin from my inside). I notice I sleep good, don't have the bloatness, and I don't feel dehydrated, as I naturally want to drink throughout the day. So far, this is a good thing. I will keep you all posted as I progress with this in the coming weeks.

AWESOME job! Wonderful feeling it is! I am the same Judi...can't wait to be less than my hubby too!

Slim ~ that is just AWESOME! You are determine and that what makes your journey a success. You've faith and it shows! GREAT job! So, how long are you going to keep this a secret??

Oh wow...time to have one! Are you using the unflavored Benefiber powder in your drinks or food? Also, I take those chewable Orange Creme Benefiber tablets too. Best...

Me too Jenelle! I love the outdoors and if I can do all those things and more, I am a HAPPY CAMPER!

WELCOME TO BANDLAND Mangolia!!! Glad to see you ar ehome and mending so well. No gas pains is good as I was that way too. The bloating feel you are going through now totally normal ~ it's the C20 they pumped your body with so the doc can do the band surgery itself. Give it some time to heal, as you've just had major surgery. All is well. Don't forget, you can have those drinkable yogurts too! As for not be able to see Dr. Ortiz, it's cool. The MAIN reason for you to go is to have the band surgery. Both Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez are GREAT docs and I didn't care who did mine as long as I had it done there at OCC, as their reputation is highly impeccable. Just knowing you had it done by either or both of them, is really cool in my books! Congrats and keep us posted on your journey!

Yes, like Nicole says, if you are getting your fill from OCC, you will be on full liquids, like in the creamy soup stage. I didn't mind this at all because I treated it as a 'jump start' to another new weight loss journey...as well, in case my band starts to get finicky and may swell or tighten on me. Also, test yourself before going on solid foods. You may want to start slowly with softer foods before going straight to harder foods. As a reminder, your first fill is like a "primer" and will not be so aggressive. This would give you and your band some time to get use to the tighter feeling and then progress from there. It's important to not eat more than 1/3 of what you use to eat, to prevent band slippage or stretching your pouch. Best of luck!

I had used Metamucil during my preop and then occasionally switch off with the Fiber Choice for the hunger pangs. I still use Benefiber in my hot cocoa, yogurts or protein shakes daily. Currently now, I am not using Metamucil anmore (which worked for me, using 1 capsule in the morning and 1 in the afternoon) but instead, using Fiber Choice for Weight Management mainly for the hunger pangs, at 10a and 3p. For the 'roto rooter' plumbing...I am currently using Dual-Action Cleanse (colon cleaner as seen on TV). It's a 30 day program and it's all in a pill form, no liquid to drink. I can't do the liquid stages other programs have. I have a problem of smell/flavors, etc. BUT, this is totally good for me and I am having BM daily now! YES!!! Finally, something that works and also, it gets rid of all of the toxin inside me AND I don't have the bloating feeling! YAY me! AND, you can get this at WalMart now! Like Nicole says, keep up with the liquid drinking too, to continue with the flushing your system out!

Hi nazish ~ go to tickerfactory.com and just follow their step by step instructions...it's easy. Have fun picking your choice!!

Hi nazish ~ go to tickerfactory.com and just follow their step by step instructions...it's easy. Have fun picking your choice!!

Sure you can have cereal and milk...the same as you can have soups ~ all in moderation. Choose wisely in your cereal choice and don't go over board. I measure out my dry ceral first (no more than one level cup worth and then add as much milk I need...viola! Enjoy!

GREAT tip lock27! Thanks for this. Maybe I will try this and see what results I would have...

Ooh Erin, sorry to hear of this. Did you have your fill at OCC?

Hi Sabrina ~ if you are concern, call Dr. M. You shouldn't have any blood aand if you did, it's possible a food rubbed raw against your esophagus. But definitely check with the doc on this to be sure all is well. So sorry you are going through this...but it's a trial in error for all of us. It's the foods you are eating. For you, it seems as though you need to stay away from foods that are creating this stuck feeling and choose another ffood substitute. Make note of it and try again a month later and see how you react to it. For some, breads, ground beef/turkey/chicken, pasta, chicken nuggets, flour tortiallas, etc are just too dense of a food for us to digest. No matter how small the bite is or how many times you chew the darn thing, it just "stacks" up. At first it seems ok, then you take another bite and another and by now, your food is stacking up your chest into your esophagus area and BAM!...you've got the stuck feeling. So, now you know what this feels, lay low on those foods and try again later. PLUS, while this is happening, you are stressing out and your throat is constricting at the same time! Not fun! Times like this, you need to stay calm, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Don't sit ~ walk around a bit to get things moving around and you should feel relief soon. Also, as you know, vomiting is not a good thing and the more you do it, the more of the risk of your band slipping. I experienced my first PB with the chicken nuggets from McD. I took off the breaded skin and it seemed moist but really it wasn't as after eating 3/4 quarter of one nugget, I immediately had that pain in the chest and felt the food was stuck and not going anywhere. I, like you, wanted to vomit, but my body wouldn't. So, I helped it along with my 2 fingers. This is NOT avisable to do, as I could have easilly risked in slipping my band...but I needed relief right away and it did. But I was scared thinking I did somehting wrong to my band. I went on full liquids for 2 days and that helped me. It's a learning experience for us all...the band is sooooo finicky at times! Good luck and feel better!